Children of War
by suzie2b
Summary: Two young children are taken from their mother by the Germans. The Rat Patrol goes after them.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **Children of War**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **The Rat Patrol had finished their latest mission and stopped in the small village of Ramadi for a few supplies and to service the jeeps. Moffitt and Tully were in the marketplace with a list of what they wanted and needed before they set out again.**

 **Tully was at a table looking over some trinkets, thinking his mother might like something, when a young Arab woman grabbed his arm. Startled, he turned to face her. She was crying and talking very fast. Not speaking much Arabic, Tully could only pick out a few words. He could tell that the woman was very distraught though and looked around for Moffitt.**

 **Tully quickly located the sergeant. He gently took the woman by the arm and led her over to him. "Moffitt, what's she saying?"**

 **He looked at her tears and asked with concern, "Вхат хас хаппенед?"**

 **She wailed, "Тхеы хаве такен мы чилдрен! Плеасе хелп ме!"**

 **Moffitt glanced at Tully. "Someone has taken her children." He looked at her again and asked, "Вхо хас такен ёур чилдрен?"**

" **Тхе Германс хаве такен тхем то ворк ин тхеир цамп! Плеасе, мы хусбанд ис деад! Мы чилдрен аре алл И хаве!"**

" **The Germans have taken her children to work for them."**

 **Anger flashed in Tully's eyes. "Does she know where the Germans have taken them?"**

 **Moffitt asked her the question and she replied, "Нот эхацтлы, бут ит ис нот фар."**

 **Moffitt nodded. "She only knows that it's an oasis not too far from here."**

 **Tully said determinedly, "Well, we better go talk to Troy and Hitch before we go get 'em."**

 **Moffitt put his hands on the woman's shoulders. "Ве вилл финд ёур чилдрен. Вхат аре тхеир намес?"**

 **She said, "Цаллие ис сих анд Абдуллах ис эигхт. Тханк ёу! Тханк ёу фор хелпинг ме!"**

 **Moffitt looked at Tully. "Her little girl is six and named Callie and her eight-year-old brother is Abdullah."**

 **Tully thought of his younger siblings back home and scowled, "They're little more than babies. What do the Germans want with them?"**

" **I couldn't begin to guess. Let's find Troy and Hitch."**

 **########################**

 **Troy listened as Moffitt explained the woman's situation, then said, "We need to get back to base. Doesn't she know any Arabs that can help her? Where's her husband?"**

 **Moffitt shook his head. "She told me that her husband is dead. These are simple people, Troy. They wouldn't know how to fight the Germans. They only want to keep a low profile and mind their own business."**

 **Tully added, "Apparently, the place where the kids were taken isn't too far from here, sarge."**

 **Hitch said, "We can't just let the Germans keep these kids. Besides, they're all she has, what with her husband dead and all."**

 **Troy sighed. "All right. Which direction?"**

 **Moffitt turned to the woman. "Ин вхич дирецтион дид тхеы го?"**

 **She pointed north.**

 **Troy nodded. "Okay, let's see what we can find. Get the map."**

 **Moffitt broke out a map and surveyed it. He marked a spot and said, "This is where we are." He drew a line north to an oasis approximately thirty-two kilometers away. "I would wager this is the oasis she's talking about. There are mines in these hills here … less than a kilometer away. They could be mining the ore to help fund their war effort."**

 **Hitch's brows furrowed. "They wouldn't force little kids to work in the mines, would they?"**

 **Tully moved the matchstick around in his mouth. "I wouldn't put it passed them."**

 **Troy looked at each of his men. "Okay, let's shake it."**

 **########################**

 **Laying on a dune overlooking the oasis Troy and Moffitt studied the camp with binoculars. "What do you see, Moffitt?"**

" **A squad at best. Maybe twenty men."**

 **Troy nodded. "I agree. See any sign of those kids?"**

 **Moffitt continued to scan the camp. "Not yet." Then he spotted a small figure struggling to carry a pail of water. "There … a little girl just walking passed the halftrack."**

" **Yeah. I see her. Wonder if her brother is here too?"**

 **They watched as a German soldier took the pail from the girl and followed her into one of the tents.**

 **They heard a jeep drive up and turned to see Tully and Hitch arriving. Troy and Moffitt went down the sand dune to get their report.**

 **Troy asked, "Well, what'd you find?"**

 **Tully answered, "They're working at least two of the four mines."**

 **Hitch said, "Looks like there's maybe two squads. They're using civilians as workers."**

" **We didn't see any kids though."**

 **Moffitt said, "We've seen the little girl here at the oasis. No sign of her brother."**

 **Troy nodded. "Okay, we'll go in tonight and get the girl. Let's hope she knows where her brother is."**

 **########################**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully watched and waited. It appeared that Callie was constantly running errands. She was always moving from place to place in the camp, totting water, cleaning dishes and pots, and other assorted jobs, until well after nightfall. Tully watched a German soldier tie her hands behind her and her ankles together, then he saw her curl up on the ground and go to sleep.**

 **Tully went down and told the others, "Little Callie is sleeping outside. Beside that big tent." He looked disgusted. "They tied her up. She's only six-years-old. What do they think she's gonna do?"**

 **Troy didn't voice what he was thinking and said, "How's it looking down there?"**

" **Lights out. Two sentries."**

" **Okay. Hitch, you get the girl. The rest of us will cover you. Remember, we want to get in and out as quietly as possible."**

 **Troy, Moffitt, and Tully took up their positions around the perimeter of the camp. Hitch waited until Troy took out one of the sentries and then headed in. He stayed low as he darted from tree to tree until he had to move directly into camp to get to the tent.**

 **Hitch came up to the back of the tent and listened. All he heard was snoring. He crawled around to the side where Callie was located. Hitch gently put his hand over her mouth, and when her eyes sprang open, he put a finger to his lips. When he moved his hand away, she remained silent. Hitch picked the small girl up in his arms and backtracked to Troy, who gave the signal to Moffitt and Tully that the mission was complete.**

 **When they met back at the jeeps, Hitch had already freed Callie of the ropes and was giving her some water. Moffitt explained to her that they were there to take her back to her mother. Then he asked her if she knew where her brother was.**

 **Callie answered, "И хеард Абдуллах вас такен то тхе минес."**

 **Moffitt looked at the three men. "Abdullah was taken to the mines."**

 **Hitch said, "He must have been working in one of them, then, because Tully and I didn't seen any sign of him."**

 **Troy nodded. "Let's find out."**

 **########################**

 **When they arrived at the site of the mines, they hid the jeeps behind a hill. Troy looked at Moffitt and said, "Tell Callie that no matter what she hears to stay put while we go in for her brother."**

 **Moffitt carefully explained the situation to the little girl and she nodded. He tucked her into the back of the jeep and put a blanket over her.**

 **Troy passed out dynamite and blasting caps to each of his men. "We'll blow the mines first … at 0200." He looked at Hitch. "Moffitt and I will continue the diversion while you and Tully find the boy."**

 **Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully separated and each man went to a mine. They set their charges where the explosions would do the most damage and waited for 0200 hours.**

 **When the four mines went up, the camp was immediately thrown into chaos. German soldiers fired shots into the air, trying to control the situation as the civilian workers fled into the hills.**

 **Hitch and Tully were running through the melee trying to locate one small boy. When Tully spotting Abdullah, the boy was hiding under a halftrack. As he and Hitch ran towards the boy, Tully thought he felt something hit him in the side. Ignoring it, he scooped up the boy and headed out of the camp with Hitch on his heels.**

 **Back at the jeeps, Abdullah and Callie were happily reunited. As the two children hugged and chattered at each other, Troy said, "Okay, let's shake it!"**

 **Tully was leaning on a jeep when he noticed the pain in his side. He put his hand where the pain was and when he looked at it, it was covered in blood.**

 **Hitch stood next to Tully and looked at his hand. His smile quickly faded. "Tully?" He looked at Hitch as his knees gave out and fell into Hitch's arms. "Sarge, Tully's been hit!"**

 **Troy and Moffitt ran quickly around the jeep to where Hitch was on the ground holding Tully.**

 **Moffitt tore open Tully's shirt and examined him. "The bullet went through … back to front. Judging by the wounds it was probably a pistol. Appears that the bullet missed anything vital." He looked at the private. "How does it feel, Tully?"**

" **Didn't even notice it until we got back here."**

" **That's because your adrenaline was high."**

 **Troy grabbed a med kit and knelt down next to Moffitt. "How's he doing?"**

 **Moffitt got a pressure bandage out of the kit. "He's lost some blood, but it doesn't look too bad."**

 **Callie and Abdullah squatted down near Tully and the boy looked worried as he asked if he was going to be all right.**

 **Moffitt smiled as he wrapped the pressure bandage around Tully and explained that, yes, he was going to be fine. Moffitt tied off the bandage. "That should control any bleeding."**

 **Hitch helped Tully to his feet and into the jeep. Troy and Moffitt got the children into the back of the other jeep and they headed back to Ramadi.**

 **########################**

 **Back at the village, Callie and Abdullah were reunited with their very excited mother,** **Maritza** **, who insisted Tully be brought into their home for treatment.**

 **At daylight Troy and Hitch went back out to the oasis. The Germans were packing up and as they watched, three halftracks full of soldiers and a tank arrived from the mines. There was no sign of any of the civilian workers.**

 **Troy smiled. "I guess they don't have a reason to stick around now that the mines are destroyed."**

 **Hitch said, "I wonder how much stuff they got before we blew them up."**

" **I'm sure we'll never know, but I'll bet it wasn't enough to buy the war." Troy started down the dune. "Let's get out of here."**

 **########################**

 **When Tully opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Callie sitting on the bed next him. She smiled, jumped down, and ran out of the room calling, "Хе'с аваке! Хе'с аваке!"**

 **A moment later Moffitt entered the small bedroom with a smile on his face. "About time you woke up. How do you feel?"**

 **Tully started to sit up and grimaced. "Not too bad actually."**

 **Moffitt gave him a hand and put a pillow behind him to lean on. "Good. Just take it easy until Troy and Hitch get back. Then we'll start back to base."**

" **Where'd they go?"**

" **Back to the oasis to see if the Germans have decided to leave."**

 **Maritza entered the room with a tray. She laid it across Tully's lap, took his hand and said, "Тханк ёу фор савинг мы чилдрен. Анд И ам со хаппы тхат ёу вере нот сериоуслы воундед."**

 **Tully looked at Moffitt, who translated, "She's thanking you for your part in saving her children, and she's glad you weren't seriously wounded."**

" **How do you say 'you're welcome'?"**

 **Moffitt said, "The closest thing would be 'Efua'."**

 **Tully looked back at Maritza and smiled. "Efua."**

 **She returned his smile and left the room.**

 **Moffitt sat down on a wooden chair next to the bed. "Eat something. Maritza is a very good cook."**

 **Tully looked down at the bowl of soup and bread on the tray. "Yeah, I am kinda hungry."**

 **########################**

 **A few hours later Troy and Hitch showed up. Callie and Abdullah ran to them with happy smiles and greetings. They started to pull on the soldiers hands, wanting them to follow.**

 **Troy smiled and gently reacquired his hand. "Why don't you see what they want and I'll check in with Moffitt and Tully."**

 **With a grin, Hitch allowed himself to be led away.**

 **Moffitt met Troy at the door. "Well, how did things go?"**

" **They were packing up when we got there."**

" **Good. This village will be safe … at least for a time."**

 **Troy nodded. "Yeah. How's Tully?"**

" **He's doing all right. He's eaten and he's been dozing for a while."**

 **Troy went into the bedroom and sat on the bed. Tully opened his eyes and smiled slightly, "Hi, sarge. Did we chase 'em off?"**

" **We sure did. How are you feeling?"**

" **Good to go."**

 **Troy stood, grabbed Tully's shirt off the back of the chair, and handed it to him. "Let's head back to base then."**

 **Tully carefully swung his legs over the edge of the bed and sat up. He slipped on the shirt, but didn't bother to button it.**

 **Troy held his arm as he stood up. "All right? Any dizziness?"**

 **Tully sighed, "No … I think I'm good."**

 **They thanked Maritza again and went outside. Troy waved to his other private and hollered, "Let's go, Hitch!"**

 **Disappointed that their kickball game was interrupted, Callie and Abdullah followed Hitch to the jeeps. That is until they caught sight of Tully. The two children raced up to him and Abdullah leaped into Tully's arms as Callie grabbed one of his legs.**

 **Tully gritted his teeth against the sudden stab of pain as the boy wrapped his arms and legs around him. "Ве вилл мисс ёу. Тханк ёу фор савинг ме."**

 **Moffitt took Abdullah out of Tully's arms. "He says he'll miss you."**

 **Tully held his side and smiled. "I'll miss him too." He put his hand on Callie's head as she looked up at him with her arms wrapped tightly around his leg. "I'll miss both of them."**

 **Maritza stood at the door and called her children to her. They obeyed immediately and Abdullah called from his mother's side, "Цоме бацк анд висит ус плеасе."**

 **Troy, Hitch, and Tully looked at Moffitt, who translated, "He's inviting us back for a visit."**

 **Troy smiled. "Tell him we'll definitely try."**


End file.
